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United States Patent |
5,001,569
|
Shigyo
|
March 19, 1991
|
Image filing apparatus
Abstract
An image filing apparatus is constituted for filing image signals on an
optical disk, and filing image retrieval signals corresponding to the
image signals on a magnetic disk, thereby to construct an image retrieval
data base. The image filing apparatus is provided with a system for
copying the image retrieval signals back and forth between the magnetic
disk and a data base filing optical disk fed to a disk drive unit for
operating the optical disk.
Inventors:
|
Shigyo; Masao (Kanagawa, JP)
|
Assignee:
|
Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (Kanagawa, JP)
|
Appl. No.:
|
530508 |
Filed:
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May 31, 1990 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Jun 27, 1986[JP] | 61-150719 |
Current U.S. Class: |
358/296; 250/584 |
Intern'l Class: |
H04N 001/21 |
Field of Search: |
346/108
358/296
250/327.2 A,484.1,327.2 B,327.2 C,327.2 D
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4544956 | Oct., 1985 | Shimizu | 358/296.
|
4603254 | Jul., 1986 | Takano et al.
| |
4672683 | Jun., 1987 | Matsueda | 340/799.
|
4705953 | Nov., 1987 | Kimura et al.
| |
4768099 | Aug., 1988 | Mukai.
| |
Primary Examiner: Reinhart; Mark J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue, Mion, Zinn, Macpeak & Seas
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/067,180 filed on
June 29, 1987, now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. An image filing apparatus for filing image signals on an optical disk,
and filing only image retrieval signals corresponding to the image signals
on a magnetic disk, thereby to construct an image retrieval data base,
wherein the improvement comprises means for copying said image retrieval
signals from said magnetic disk to a data base filing optical disk and
from said data base filing optical disk to said magnetic disk, said data
base filing optical disk being loaded into a disk drive unit for operating
said data base filing optical disk.
2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for
carrying out image retrieval on the basis of the image retrieval signals
filed on said data base filing optical disk.
3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said image signals represent
a medical image.
4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said medical image is a
radiation image, and said image signals representing said radiation image
are digital image signals obtained by photoelectrically detecting said
radiation image stored on a stimulable phosphor sheet.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image filing apparatus for filing image
signals on an optical disk, constructing an image retrieval data base on a
fixed magnetic disk, and carrying out image retrieval on the basis of the
image retrieval data base.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many medical images have heretofore been utilized for medical treatment or
research in, for example, medical facilities such as hospitals. Most of
the medical images are radiation images. In recent years, many computed
tomography (CT) images, magnetic resonance (MR) images and the like are
also utilized.
The medical images should be stored for investigating changes in diseases
or injuries of patients, and it is legally stipulated that the medical
images be stored for a predetermined period. Therefore, in hospitals or
the like, the number of stored medical images increases from day to day.
The medical images have heretofore been stored in the form of hard copies.
However, storage as hard copies requires a large storage space and
burdensome operations for control and retrieval of the medical images in
hospitals or the like.
Accordingly, in recent years, it has been proposed to employ an electronic
filing method in which medical images are retrievably filed as image
signals on a recording medium such as an optical disk. In the case where
the medical images are filed in this manner on the recording medium, the
space requirement and the burden of image storage are reduced, and the
operation of image retrieval becomes easy and quick.
In an image filing apparatus for filing the image signals in the manner as
mentioned above, image retrieval signals corresponding to the image
signals representing each medical image are filed to construct a data
base, and image retrieval is carried out using the data base.
The amount of the image signals representing each medical image is very
large, and therefore an optical disk having a very large recording
capacity is generally used as the recording medium for filing the image
signals. On the other hand, as the recording medium for filing the image
retrieval signals corresponding to the image signals representing each
medical image, it is advantageous to use a magnetic disk that has a
recording capacity smaller than the recording capacity of the optical disk
and is suitable for quick retrieval. In this manner, the number of the
images capable of being filed on a single optical disk can be increased up
to, for example, at least 1,000, and on the other hand, the image
retrieval speed can be increased substantially. Also, though the recording
capacity of the magnetic disk is smaller than the recording capacity of
the optical disk, the amount of the image retrieval signals which are to
be filed on the magnetic disk is very much smaller than the amount of the
image signals which are to be filed on the optical disk, the image
retrieval signals for at least 1,000,000 images for example can be filed
on the magnetic disk.
Since it would take several years even in a large hospital before the
amount of the image retrieval signals filed on the magnetic disk reaches a
value corresponding to 1,000,000 images, a single magnetic disk can be
used for that long a period without replacement.
However, fixed magnetic disks readily break when handled incorrectly.
Therefore, it may often occur that the magnetic disk breaks in the course
of long-term use. If the magnetic disk having the image retrieval signals
stored thereon breaks, the image retrieval data base which has been
constructed on the magnetic disk is lost. In such a case, even though the
image signals are stored on the optical disk, it becomes impossible to
re-output the image by retrieval of the image signals, and therefore the
image filing apparatus becomes substantially inoperable.
On the other hand, in the course of constructing the image retrieval data
base over a long period, it may be required to re-construct a more
efficient data base by collecting only specific signals, for example,
signals for a specific subject of diagnosis and a specific period.
However, such a requirement cannot be satisfied with the data base
constructed on the magnetic disk in the manner as mentioned above since
the data base is formed by merely storing all the image retrieval signals.
Besides the case of the filing of medical images, the same problems arise
in the case where the magnetic disk is used continuously for a long period
and an image retrieval data base is constructed on the magnetic disk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an image filing
apparatus which prevents loss of an image retrieval data base and which is
adapted for expansion or modification of the data base.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image filing
apparatus suitable for efficient image retrieval.
The present invention provides an image filing apparatus for filing image
signals on an optical disk, and filing image retrieval signals
corresponding to the image signals on a magnetic disk, thereby to
construct an image retrieval data base,
wherein the improvement comprises the provision of a means for copying said
image retrieval signals between said magnetic disk and a data base filing
optical disk inserted into a disk drive unit for operating said optical
disk.
With the image filing apparatus in accordance with the present invention,
the image retrieval data base constructed on the magnetic disk used
continuously for a long period can always be backed up by copying it onto
the data base filing optical disk. Therefore, even if the magnetic disk
should break, image retrieval and image re-output can be achieved by
copying the image retrieval data base from the data base filing optical
disk to a new magnetic disk. Also, since the image retrieval signals can
be copied back and forth between the magnetic disk and the optical disk,
it is possible to form data bases classified in accordance with retrieval
conditions, and to achieve image retrieval more efficiently.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of the medical image filing
and reproducing system provided with an embodiment of the image filing
apparatus in accordance with the present invention, and
FIGS. 2 and 3 are explanatory views showing the recording formats of an
image signal filing optical disk and an image retrieval data base filing
optical disk used in the image filing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will hereinbelow be described in further detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to FIG. 1, an image filing apparatus 50 is basically constituted
by a system control device 51, an optical disk device 52, and an operating
console 61 consisting of a keyboard 61A and a display device 61B which may
be a cathode ray tube (CRT) or the like. The image filing apparatus 50 is
connected to an image processing apparatus 30. The image processing
apparatus 30 receives image signals S1 from a radiation image recording
and read-out apparatus 10 as an example of an image signal source, carries
out a predetermined image processing of the image signals S1, and sends
image signals S1' obtained by the image processing to an image output
apparatus 70.
The radiation image recording and read-out apparatus 10 may be of the type
as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
61(1986)-29834 or 61(1986)-94035, wherein stimulable phosphor sheets 11,
11 are conveyed and circulated along a circulation path 12, and the
stimulable phosphor sheet 11 stopped at the position facing an image
recording stand 13 is exposed to a radiation 15 emanated by a radiation
source 14 to have an image of an object (patient) 16 stored on the sheet
11. The stimulable phosphor sheet 11 carrying the radiation image stored
thereon is conveyed to an image read-out section and two-dimensionally
scanned with a laser beam 18 emanated by a laser beam source 17 and
deflected by a light deflector 19. As the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is
exposed to the laser beam 18 as stimulating rays, the exposed portion of
the sheet 11 emits light in proportion to the stored radiation energy. The
emitted light is photoelectrically detected by a photodetector 21
constituted by a photomultiplier or the like via a light guide member 20.
The analog output signals of the photodetector 21 are amplified, A/D
converted, and output as digital image signals S1 representing the
radiation image of the object 16 from the radiation image recording and
read-out apparatus 10. After the image read-out is finished in this
manner, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is sent to an erasing section 22,
where the sheet 11 is exposed to erasing light and the radiation energy
remaining thereon is erased to such an extent that the sheet 11 is
reusable for radiation image recording.
The radiation image recording and read-out apparatus 10 is connected to an
ID terminal 25 at which information written on an ID card 26 of the
patient 16 (hereinafter referred to as patient information), i.e. the
name, sex, date of birth and the like patient information is read out.
Also, various conditions with regard to the radiation image recording
(hereinafter referred to as image recording information), i.e. the image
number, date of image recording, the image recording portion of the
object, the image recording size, the read-out sensitivity and the like
information is entered at the ID terminal 25. The patient information S2
and the image recording information S3 are fed to the image processing
apparatus 30 together with the image signals S1.
The image processing apparatus 30 is constituted so that, for example, not
less than 20 types of gradation processings and not less than 10 types of
frequency response processings can be effected for the digital image
signals S1. The image processing conditions are tabulated, and optimal
image processing conditions are automatically selected from the table in
accordance with the image recording conditions specified at the ID
terminal 25. The image signals S1' obtained by carrying out an image
processing by use of optimal conditions in the image processing apparatus
30 are sent to the image output apparatus 70.
By way of example, the image output apparatus 70 is composed of a light
beam scanning and recording apparatus for two-dimensionally scanning a
photographic film with a light beam modulated with the image signals S1',
and an automatic developing machine for developing the exposed film. By
the light beam scanning and recording, the image which the image signals
S1' represent, i.e. the radiation image of the patient 16, is recorded as
a hard copy 71 on the photographic film.
The hard copy 71 of the radiation image formed by use of the photographic
film as mentioned above is utilized for diagnosis of the patient 16.
Besides the aforesaid configuration, a CRT display device or the like may
be used as the image output apparatus 70.
Filing of the radiation image by the image filing apparatus 50 will be
described hereinbelow. The system control device 51 of the image filing
apparatus 50 is constituted by a known computer system composed of a
central processing unit (CPU) 53, a memory 54, interfaces 55 and 56, a
disk drive controller 57, a bus 58 for connecting these sections, a fixed
magnetic disk drive unit 59, and a floppy magnetic disk drive unit 60. The
aforesaid keyboard 61A and the display device 61B are connected to the CPU
53, and the interface 55 is connected to an interface 31 of the image
processing apparatus 30. The optical disk device 52 is composed of an
interface 62 connected to the interface 56 of the system control device
51, an optical disk drive controller 63, and an optical disk drive unit
64.
The aforesaid patient information S2 and the image recording information S3
are transferred from the image processing apparatus 30 to the system
control device 51, and sequentially recorded on a magnetic disk 65
operated by the magnetic disk drive unit 59, thereby to construct a data
base. A floppy disk 66 operated by the floppy disk drive unit 60 is
utilized for control of system operation. The patient information S2 and
the image recording information S3 are also transferred to the optical
disk device 52, and filed on an optical disk 67 operated by the optical
disk drive unit 64 together with the image signals S1 transferred from the
image processing apparatus 30. At this time, the image signals S1 bypass
the image processing section in the image processing apparatus 30, and are
recorded on the optical disk 67 as raw signals which have not been
subjected to the image processing.
Recording of the image signals S1, the patient information S2, and the
image recording information S3 on the optical disk 67 will now be
described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 showing the recording format
of the optical disk 67. In FIG. 2, each graduation along the vertical axis
indicates a single track on the optical disk 67, and each graduation along
the horizontal axis indicates a single sector. The image signals S1 are
recorded in units of a single image in an image signal recording region 80
which is sufficiently broadly formed on the optical disk 67. As is well
known, signal recording is effected based on formation of pits in the
surface of the optical disk 67. A header 81A where the patient information
S2 and the image recording information S3 corresponding to the image
signals S1 representing a single image in an image signal area 81 are to
be recorded, and blocks 81B and 81C where signals S4 representing the
image processing conditions for use in the image processing apparatus 30
are to be recorded are disposed before and after the image signal area 81
for the single image. These image processing conditions are identical with
the image processing conditions which were used for processing the image
signals S1 in the image processing apparatus 30 in the course of
reproducing the images by immediately sending the image signals S1 to the
image output apparatus 70.
When the image signals S1 have been recorded in the image signal area 81 on
the optical disk 67 in the manner as mentioned above, one of the image
directories 83A, 83B, 83C, . . . that corresponds to the image signals S1
in the image signal area 81 is recorded in an image directory region 82.
Basically, in each of the image directories 83A, 83B, 83C, . . . , the
head address of the header 81A for the image signals S1 in the image
signal area 81, the sector length of the image signals S1 in the image
signal area 81, and characteristic information on the image signals S1 in
the image signal area 81 are recorded.
Besides the image signal recording region 80 and the image directory region
82, the optical disk 67 is also provided with a region 84 for forming
substitution directories 89A, 89B, 89C, . . . used for substitution of the
image directories 83A, 83B, 83C, . . . when they are changed, and a region
85 for forming directories of new recorded signals representing
information on a diagnosis card or the like. Also, on the first track of
the optical disk 67, there are formed a block 86 where the serial number
of each optical disk 67 and a disk surface identification code are to be
recorded, a block 87 for indication of the full status of the optical disk
67, and a plurality of directory entry blocks 88A, 88B, 88C, . . . . The
first directory entry block 88A is used for indicating that a group of the
image directories 83A, 83B, 83C, . . . has been formed. The head address
and the sector length of the image directory group (i.e. the group of
directories formed in the image directory region 82) are recorded in the
first directory entry block 88A. In the second directory entry block 88B,
the head address and the sector length of the substitution directory group
(89A, 89B, 89C, . . . ) are recorded. Also, the third directory entry
block 88C and the subsequent directory entry blocks are formed for
recording head addresses and sector lengths of directory groups for the
future.
In the manner as mentioned above, the image signals S1 are sequentially
recorded in units of a single image on the optical disk 67, and the
patient information S2, the image recording information S3, and the image
processing condition signals S4 are sequentially recorded thereon in
conformity with the image signals S1 representing each image. In order to
increase the number of images capable of being filed on the optical disk
67, the image signals S1 should preferably be compressed by a known image
signal compression technique before being recorded on the optical disk 67.
Though very large amounts of the image signals S1 are recorded on the
optical disk 67 in addition to the patient information S2 and the image
recording information S3, approximately 1,000 images can be filed on a
single optical disk 67 when an image signal compression technique is
applied. On the other hand, the recording capacity of the magnetic disk 65
is smaller than the recording capacity of the optical disk 67. However,
only the patient information S2 and the image recording information S3 are
recorded on the magnetic disk 65, and therefore the patient information S2
and the image recording information S3 on approximately 1,000,000 images,
for example, can be filed thereon.
Image retrieval and re-output will now be described below. As mentioned
above, the data base for image retrieval has been constructed by the
patient information S2 and the image recording information S3 filed on the
magnetic disk 65. An image retrieval operator operates the keyboard 61A to
enter the desired retrieval information, using the display device 61B of
the operating console 61. The system control device 51 retrieves images
corresponding to the entered retrieval information from the data base
constructed on the magnetic disk 65, and displays a list of the images on
the display device 61B. Basically, as the retrieval information, all items
of the patient information S2 and the image recording information S3 can
be used. For example, when of the patient information S2 the name of a
patient is designated as the retrieval information, an image list
indicating the image numbers of all images of the designated patient, the
patient information S2 other than the name of the patient, and the image
recording information S3 are displayed on the display device 61B. The
retrieval operator selects a desired image from the displayed image list,
and reserves the re-output of the image. The reserved image number is
stored in the memory 54. In this manner, the image retrieval operation can
be completed in advance even though the image processing apparatus 30 and
the image output apparatus 70 are in operation for immediately reproducing
an image by use of the image signals S1 received from the radiation image
recording and read-out apparatus 10. Also, even if the image to be
retrieved is one recorded on an optical disk different from the optical
disk 67 that is in the optical disk device 52 at the time of the image
retrieval operation, without the retrieval operation carried out as
mentioned above becoming invalid, image re-output can be started
subsequently by leading the optical disk device 52 with the optical disk
carrying the reserved image recorded thereon after the aforesaid
reservation was carried out.
When information indicating the cessation of the operation of the image
processing apparatus 30 is entered into the system control device 51 after
the aforesaid reservation, the system control device 51 activates the
optical disk device 52 to read out the image signals representing the
reserved image from the optical disk 67. In the course of the image signal
read-out, an instruction for read-out of the image directory group in the
region 82 is given with the first directory entry block 88A acting as a
pointer, and the image directories 83A, 83B, 83C, . . . are read out.
Also, one of the image directories 83A, 83B, 83C, . . . in which the
reserved image number is written acts as a pointer, and the header 81A
indicated by said image directory is designated. In this manner, the
information written in the header 81A, the image signals S1 written in the
image signal area 81, and the information written in the blocks 81B and
81C corresponding to the header 81A are read out.
The image signals S1 in the image signal area 81, the patient information
S2 and the image recording information S3 in the header 81A, and the
signals S4 representing the image processing conditions in the blocks 81B
and 81C, which have been read out in the manner as mentioned above, are
transferred from the system control device 51 to the image processing
apparatus 30. The image signals S1 are subjected in the image processing
apparatus 30 to an image processing such as a gradation processing or a
frequency response processing by use of the image processing conditions
which the aforesaid signals S4 represent, and the processed image signals
S1' are sent to the image output apparatus 70. In the image output
apparatus 70, the image is reproduced in the same manner as mentioned
above by use of the processed image signals S1', and a hard copy 71 of the
radiation image is formed. The patient information S2 and the image
recording information S3 are utilized for writing the patient information
and the image recording information on the hard copy 71.
Copying of the image retrieval data base filed on the magnetic disk 65 to
an optical disk will now be described below. An optical disk drive unit 64
of the system control device 51 is capable of being loaded with a data
base filing optical disk 67D of the same type as the optical disk 67 for
recording the image signals S1. When an instruction to copy the data base
is given, such as by selection of a batch copy mode via the keyboard 61A,
the CPU 53 of the system control device 51 copies the image retrieval
signals (i.e. the aforesaid patient information S2 and the image recording
information S3) from the magnetic disk 65 to the data base filing optical
disk 67D on the basis of a predetermined program. As mentioned above, the
image retrieval signals for not less than approximately 1,000,000 images
can be filed on the magnetic disk 65. Therefore, a single magnetic disk 65
can be continuously used over several years even in a very large hospital.
In the course of such a long period, copying of the image retrieval
signals is carried out at appropriate time intervals, for example monthly.
Recording of the image retrieval signals on the data base filing optical
disk 67D will hereinbelow be described with reference to FIG. 3. As in
FIG. 2, FIG. 3 schematically shows the recording format of the data base
filing optical disk 67D. The image retrieval signals read out from the
magnetic disk 65 are recorded by each copying operation in an image
retrieval signal recording region 40 formed on the data base filing
optical disk 67D. Each time signal copying is effected, data files of the
image retrieval signals are sequentially recorded on data file page 1,
data file page 2, data file page 3, and so on in the image retrieval
signal recording region 40. When data files 41A, 41B, 41C, . . . have been
recorded on the data base filing optical disk 67D in this manner, data
file directories 43A, 43B, 43C, . . . corresponding to the data files 41A,
41B, 41C, . . . are recorded one after another on a data file directory
region 42. Basically, head addresses and file sector lengths of the data
files 41A, 41B, 41C, . . . are recorded respectively as the data file
directories 43A, 43B, 43C, . . . . Also, as in the case of the aforesaid
image signal filing optical disk 67, on the first track of the data base
filing optical disk 67D, there are formed a block 44 where the serial
number of each optical disk 67D and a disk surface identification code are
to be recorded, a block 45 for indication of the full status of the
optical disk 67D, and many directory entry blocks 46A, 46B, 46C, . . . .
The first directory entry block 46A is used for indicating that a group of
the data file directories 43A, 43B, 43C, . . . has been formed. The head
address and the sector length of the data file directory group are
recorded in the first directory entry block 46A. Also, the second
directory entry block 46B, the third directory entry block 46C and the
subsequent directory entry blocks are formed for recording head addresses
and sector lengths of new directory groups which will be formed when
necessary in the future.
In the manner as mentioned above, the same data base as the image retrieval
data base constructed on the magnetic disk 65 is filed on the data base
filing optical disk 67D. Therefore, in the case of breakage of the
magnetic disk 65, the image retrieval data base which was constructed
prior to the breakage of the magnetic disk 65 can be reproduced on a new
magnetic disk 65 by copying back the image retrieval signals from the data
base filing optical disk 67D to the new magnetic disk 65. This copying
back of the image retrieval signals will now be described below in detail.
The optical disk drive unit 64 is loaded with the data base filing optical
disk 67D, the number of one of the data files 41A, 41B, 41C, . . . is
specified from the keyboard 61A, and an instruction to copy back the image
retrieval signals is issued. Then, the CPU 53 of the system control device
51 reads out the specified data files 41A, 41B, 41C, . . . from the data
base filing optical disk 67D, and records the read-out signals on the new
magnetic disk 65. As would be understood from the foregoing descriptions,
the image retrieval signals which were stored on the previous magnetic
disk 65 at the time of breakage of the magnetic disk 65 are recorded in
the data file 41 having the largest number. (Strictly speaking, the image
retrieval signals filed on the previous magnetic disk 65 between the time
when the data base was copied to the data base filing optical disk 67D and
the time when the magnetic disk 65 broke are not included in this case.)
Therefore, normally, the instruction to copy back the data file 41 having
the largest number is issued.
In the manner mentioned above, the image retrieval signals are copied back
from the data base filing optical disk 67D to the new magnetic disk 65.
Accordingly, the data base filed on the previous magnetic disk 65 can be
reproduced almost intact on the new magnetic disk 65, and image retrieval
can be achieved as before for re-output of the radiation images.
Besides the copying of the image retrieval data base in the same form from
the magnetic disk 65 to the data base filing optical disk 67D, a retrieval
and copy mode, for example, may be selected via the keyboard 61A, and an
instruction to copy the data base may be issued. In this case, the CPU 53
carries out the ordinary image retrieval, and on the data base filing
optical disk 67D stores only the image retrieval signals of the images
which are listed by the image retrieval. Specifically, when a subject of
diagnosis as one item of the patient information is specified by way of
example as the image retrieval signals, all images corresponding to the
specified subject of diagnosis are listed. When the data base copying
instruction is given from the keyboard 61A, the image retrieval signals
for the listed images are recorded on the data base filing optical disk
67D. Therefore, in this case, data files 41A, 41B, 41C, . . . can be
formed for the respective retrieval conditions such as the subject of
diagnosis.
In copying back the image retrieval signals filed on the data base filing
optical disk 67D to the magnetic disk 65, the copying to the magnetic disk
65 can be done by retrieval condition, such as the subject of diagnosis,
by specifying via the keyboard 61A the data file 41 which is to be copied.
Therefore, in this case, when the image retrieval signals are copied back
to the magnetic disk 65 having a comparatively small capacity, a data base
which can be retrieved quickly is newly constructed. It is also possible
to store the image retrieval signals on the data base filing optical disk
67D by classifying them into different files by data, in order to erase
all of the image retrieval signals stored on the magnetic disk 65 being
used continuously over a long period and then copy back to the magnetic
disk 65 those image retrieval signals other than old ones which are no
longer needed for retrieval. In this case, the data base filed on the
magnetic disk 65 used continuously can be renewed from time to time, and
image retrieval can be carried out no efficiently.
The system control device 51 should preferably be constituted so that it
can carry out image retrieval on the basis of the image retrieval data
base on the magnetic disk 65 in the manner as mentioned above and can
carry out image retrieval on the basis of the image retrieval data base
filed on the data base filing optical disk 67D inserted into the optical
disk drive unit 64. In this case, in the course of carrying out image
retrieval by utilization of the image retrieval data bases constructed for
the respective retrieval conditions as mentioned above, it becomes
unnecessary to prepare a magnetic disk 65 for the copying back of the
image retrieval data bases for the respective retrieval conditions.
Though the aforesaid embodiment is applied to the case where a radiation
image is the type of medical image filed, the image filing apparatus in
accordance with the present invention is also applicable to the case where
the medical images such as CT images and MR images are to be filed, and
the case where images other than medical images are to be filed.
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